Exclusive: Letter From Anthony DiMaria to the CA Parole Board

RE: Leslie Van Houten Parole Consideration Hearing August 30, 2007.

DiMaria seen here along with Luis Smaldino and Debra Tate at Van Houten's parole hearing on August 30, 2007. Mr. Smaldino was going to read this letter when Christie Webb objected and the board stopped him. He was allowed to hand the letter to the board and they read it during deliberations. Van Houten was denied parole for two years.

Dear Commissioners ____________ and _____________,

The murder of Jay Sebring at the hands of the so-called Manson family ripped our family apart and devastated beyond us description. These killers, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Charles Watson, Leslie Van Houten and Charles Manson shared despicable racist, terrorist ideologies. They conspired for over a year and then stalked and butchered as one. Like a pack of jackals, they murdered 10 innocent human beings in just one month, from July 27 to August 26, 1969. Had Leslie Van Houten contacted police after Gary Hinmans murder on July 27, she would have prevented my uncles murder and the Tate-LaBianca Murders. Instead, she passionately chose loyalty and dedication to the Manson family. The pack conspired and slaughtered collectively and collectively they share guilt and accountability. Leslie Van Houten was a prime instrument in the Manson murder organization. Her choices and her efforts culminated in the cruel and inhumane murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. I write this letter, in part, because Leslie Van Houten shares responsibility for my uncles murder. But my family and I also stand in support of John DeSantis, Lou Smaldino and the entire LaBianca family. Our families, along with the Folgers, Hinmans, Frykowskis, Tates, Parents and Sheas, know the unimaginable loss and suffering caused by the Manson family. Today as Leslie Van Houten seeks mercy from the parole board, please first consider justice for Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. I also seek mercy for the victims families. John DeSantis and Lou Smaldino before you now, make this trek to hell every year and must endure hearing about Leslies 12-step meetings and college degrees paid with taxpayer dollars after she butchered their flesh and blood and crushed their families. I cannot describe how traumatic it is to sit through these hearings and hear, with graphic detail, how a loved one suffered such a cruel and heinous death. During nearly 40 years of trying to cope, Lou and John are reminded every year how Ms. Van Houtens crimes poisoned their lives. These hearings, focusing on the profound crimes of Leslie Van Houten, come at a painful and destructive cost to family members present year after year and further victimizes.

We ask that you deny parole to Leslie Van Houten . 1.MS. VAN HOUTENS LSD AND MANSON BRAINWASHING ASSERTIONS Leslie Van Houten and her attorney, Christie Webb, have asserted that Ms. Van Houten was rendered mentally incapacitated from chronic LSD abuse and Mansons brainwashing. To quote the attorney, (Leslie) was vulnerable and she was controlled by drugs and clever manipulation. Regarding Manson control over Leslie Van Houten, Manson family member Lynette Squeaky Fromme said, To blame it on Manson is just silly, these women could come and go as they wished. This was a voluntary unity. Ms. Webb continues, All that LSD changed the chemistry of her brain. At last years hearing, Commissioner Elizabeth Richardson inquired about reports from Dr. Smith regarding the lingering affects of chronic LSD use, I dont want to jump to conclusions that the doctor is indicating in the record that the influence was based on regular use, although thats what my feeling is. Dr. Barbara A. Fries, M.D., Senior Examiner for the Board of Neurology and Psychiatry states, It is not defensible to say that Leslie Van Houten was influenced immediately, or chronically changed, by LSD. No drug has ever produced a sustained psychotic state that would cause a person to carry out organized activity, e.g. as in these murders, with regard to the planning, the targeting, murdering, painting messages in blood- not to mention- escaping capture and hiding from authorities. Psychedelic drugs do not make people do psychotic deeds. But, if Dr. Smith feels, for whatever reason, that Ms. Van Houtens vast void of judgment during these multiple murders was, in fact, due to residual LSD use, can we say with certainty that her neurological affliction is not a permanent LIFELONG affliction? Is LSD damage permanent? Is there a guarantee that Leslie Van Houten will now think and operate responsibly in a free society plagued with Manson-like influences? As stated by Dr. Fries, Psychedelic drugs do not make people do psychotic deeds. 2. LESLIE VAN HOUTENS LONG HISTORY WITH THE MANSON FAMILY AND HER PARTICIPATION IN MANSON FAMILY CRIMES Ms. Webb would have one believe her client to have been a wayward, spaced out victim who got caught in a random act of violence. Quoting Ms. Webb, We are talking about one night of horrible violence in her life when she was clearly not in her right mind. This is a misstatement of gargantuan proportions. Though Ms. Van Houten was only at the LaBianca murders August 10, 1969, she shared Mansons belief in societys demise through racial hatred and mass murder. She chose to support such beliefs for an entire year after she joined that clan in 1968. She proved to be a committed soldier in an ongoing conspiracy of death and destruction. Then, sadly, Gary Hinman was murdered. If Ms. Van Houten had contacted the authorities after Mr. Hinmans horrid death, she would have ended the cold blooded rampage that cost 9 people their lives. She would have prevented nearly 40 years of agony for dozens of families. But she decided not to do so. Instead, she willingly and passionately chose her path of mayhem and destruction with fatal and catastrophic consequences. Even after learning the gruesome details of the slaughters on Friday night August 8during which the lives of 6 individuals were snuffed out, (including a full term pregnant

woman and her defenseless unborn child-) Leslie Van Houten sealed her fate when she begged Charles Manson to be able to kill in the next slaughter because she felt left out. From the time she joined Manson in 1968, Leslie Van Houten condoned, supported and conspired with Charles Manson. Not satisfied, she went on to be an accomplice in 7 killings, taking hostages, torturing, butchering, killing and over killing, and finally, desecrating her victims. Even after her conviction in 1971, Leslie remained defiant when she said, Your whole system is a game, you blind, stupid people. These atrocities are profound and carry far-reaching historical and cultural implications. 3. THE REPURCUSSIONS OF LESLIE VAN HOUTENS CRIMES TODAY Leslie Van Houtens crimes and the Manson legacy have become a societal cancer with destructive and lethal consequences even as you consider parole for her this very moment. Regretfully, I call to your attention a Pennsylvania young man. Jason Sweeney was murdered by 4 teenagers, ranging in age from 15-17. During their trial, Jasons teenage killers admitted listening to Helter Skelter for several hours over and over before murdering the 16 year old with a hammer, brick and hatchet. Helter Skelter. The same words printed in blood at the LaBianca residence. In those young minds, the LaBianca murders were an inspiration to kill. What message is sent to society and other impressionable minds if Ms. Van Houten is paroled for her crimes? Just over a year ago 3 of Jason Sweeneys murderers, then ages 17-18, were sentenced to LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jason and his family. 4.THE CRUEL NATURE OF LESLIE VAN HOUTENS CRIMES At Ms. Van Houtens parole hearing last year, Ms. Webb urged the Board to look at Dr. Smiths report. Today, I urge the Board to look at the LaBianca crime scene photos and see the way Ms. Van Houten treated her victims and how their bodies were desecrated after death. After the innocent couple were bound and rendered defenseless, Leslie and her minions stabbed and punctured 67 times. 67. WAR was carved in the abdomen of Mr. LaBianca with a butcher knife. That same butcher knife and carving fork were left plunged in the stomach and throat of Leno LaBianca. Holding her hostage, Van Houten forced Rosemary La Bianca to hear the horrific last moments of her beloved, knowing her same ghoulish death was at hand, which Leslie Van Houten inflicted with disgusting cruelty. After all this, Leslie ate food from the deceased couples refrigerator, changed into Rosemarys clothes, and wiped the home free of prints. Leslie Van Houten arrived at the Waverly residence and proceeded to torture and butcher. She left the murder residence a cold blooded, bloodthirsty killer. In her own words, The more I did it, the more fun it was. There is addendum to the cruel and callous nature of Ms. Van Houtens crimes. During the trials, Ms. Van Houtens character shined through. She saw fit to sing, giggle, and carry on during court proceedings. Her outbursts littered the trials. She even snickered during gruesome descriptions of the mass murders. Even after a year free from

purported Manson and LSD influences, Leslie Van Houten chose to spit on the memory of her victims and their families. In closing, I must address statements from Ms. Van Houten and Ms. Webb. At a recent hearing Leslie Van Houten stated she accepted responsibility for what she called superficial, post mortem wounds to RosemaryLaBianca. Leslie Van Houten dealt the initial pre mortem blows when she conspired and stalked the innocent couple. Rosemary LaBiancas murder was sealed once Ms. Van Houten held Rosemary hostage. The first fatal blow to Rosemary LaBianca occurred at the hands of Leslie Van Houten when she readied her victim for slaughter and then stabbed the woman 14 times. There is nothing about Leslie Van Houtens crimes that are superficial or post mortem. Quoting Ms. Webb, Ms. Van Houten is the most modeled prisoner in the system and has been for a long, long time. I ask you, Commissioner ___________ and Commissioner ____________, should Ms. Van Houten be paroled for doing behind bars what is normal for any law abiding citizen- when she originally was sentenced to death for capital crimes so cruel and inhumane? Ms. Webb goes on, She cannot change her offences, but she has changed herself. While Ms. Webb might even believe Leslie Van Houten has changed, Rosemary and Leno LaBianca remain unchanged. They are just as dead today as when Leslie sent them to their graves nearly 40 years ago. Four decades of loss and suffering for the LaBianca, Smaldino and DeSantis families remain UNCHANGED, UNREHABILITATED, UNPAROLED. I beg the Board to consider parole for Leslie Van Houten ONLY WHEN HER VICTIMS ARE PAROLED FROM THEIRS GRAVES, ONLY WHEN THE LABIANCA, SMALDINO, AND DeSANTIS FAMILIES RECOVER FROM 40 YEARS OF LOSS AND SUFFERING, ONLY AFTER THE INTERRUPTED DESTINIES OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF LESLIE VAN HOUTENS MANY VICTIMS ARE RESTORED COMPLETELY. Considering the despicable acts of Leslie Van Houten, and how many people she has devastated, I respectfully ask that you deny Ms. Van Houten parole for the longest period of time permitted by law. Anything less is a travesty of justice. Thank you. Sincerely, Anthony DiMaria.

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